Livonia police have arrested a man they’re calling a serial “cat burglar” who they say have broken into several homes across Metro Detroit.

Police say Derek Lamont Cathey, 53 of Detroit, is suspected of breaking into a home in the early morning hours of July 21 on Weyher Street in Livonia. Cathey was identified as a possible suspect, and Livonia police officers placed him under surveillance.

While being watched by police, he was seen Monday morning casing several homes in communities such as Madison Heights, Royal Oak, Warren, Dearborn Heights and Dearborn.

At about 4:50 a.m. that day, police suspected he had broken into a home in Dearborn. Police saw him run to a vehicle and drive off, with police following him into Garden City. There, officers stopped him and found him in the possession of a purse that belonged to a Dearborn resident who was sleeping in the suspected targeted home.

Cathey was turned over to the Dearborn Police Department, and was charged in Dearborn’s 20th District District Court on home invasion and habitual offender charges. A preliminary examination in the case is scheduled to happen next Friday.

Capt. Robert Nenciarini of the Livonia Police Department said Livonia police are continuing to investigate into the incidents that took place possibly involving Cathey in Livonia. He could not speak to when or if any charges would be filed in Livonia’s 16th District Court.

“We're continuing our investigation,” he said.

As of Thursday morning, he remains locked up in the Wayne County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond, according to online jail records.

Livonia police say Cathey has an “extensive criminal history” that dates back to 1979, with several home invasions on his record.